Frahm Digital

8 Linkbuilding Strategies You Need to Practice

Linkbuilding and search engine rules are constantly changing. New rules roll out each year explaining what’s no longer acceptable and what requirements affect your page rank if left unattended. If you’re a brick-and-mortar business, linkbuilding is probably not something you take time to study every day. That’s why we’ve put together a handy linkbuilding guide to ensure you don’t miss a beat with building your business.

How SEO and Linkbuilding Works

SEO is about more than just keywords. Sure keywords and key phrases can show up in search engine results, but it should come off naturally in your content. It shouldn’t be the complete focus and won’t necessarily get you in the top 10.

Online content online is connected through links. When other sites share links to pages from your website, search engines recognize it and it impacts your page rank. It holds more weight when the links come for an authoritative site.

Be a guest blogger

You don’t have to be a pro in the business to be a blogger. All you need is expertise in your field. There are plenty of websites and blogs looking for guest contributors to share useful content. Higher authority blogs will give you more exposure and more shares. Sites like Huffington Post and Forbes accept guest posts all the time. Find a well-recognized website that fits your industry and start pitching blog ideas.

There is one thing you need to know about blogging to make it a successful linkbuilding strategy. You must create share-worthy content. Content that qualifies as share worthy is:

Useful

Helpful

Well researched

Factual

Teaches something

Entertains

Has high-quality visuals

Connect with partner organizations

There are several ways to create partnerships with organizations. Small businesses marketers are easier to make connections with. They often don’t have a corporate office or board to answer to. Find a business offering services that coordinate with yours. Offer to share their information on your website and social media. They’ll probably return the favor.

Sponsorship also helps you build a positive reputation and local links. Events of all types and sizes look for sponsors to reduce their expenses or donate products or services. Most sponsor packages include a different type of advertisement for your business, including a link or logo on their website. It’s a subtle linkbuilding gesture, that won’t land you on the blacklist.

Work with others in the same niche to share content

There are many business owners who share similar goals as you. Some of them already have a significant following or have built up an influence online. In recent years, social media platforms started relying on algorithms to control content exposure. They also began offering groups where those with common interests could connect in more intimate settings.

Businesses and online entrepreneurs took notice and then took action. They began using groups more than pages. Now, social media groups are where business owners and bloggers help promote each other’s products, services, and content through social media sharing. That multitude of sharing helps you gain exposure for your business and build links.

Publish premium content

People are skim readers now. They filter out what they don’t need to get to exactly what they’re looking for. To catch their attention with your useful content, you should include a visual that they’ll find valuable. Provide an infographic, chart, or graph with data or a summary of the post. Pinterest is a great place to share infographics to gain an audience and build links.

Make yourself noticeable

Once you get the media’s attention, they’ll want to learn more about you, do a story, and link to your website. It’s a way to get free press and build links. If your story is compelling or entertaining enough, their audience will share it. News stations look for fresh content. Some have shows devoted to promoting local businesses. If you’re a new business or a seasoned one that’s reinventing, send out a press release.

Additionally, implement smart local SEO strategies that will get your local business to the top of search engine results and get more customers through the doors.

Start doing online interviews

Just like news and radio need stories, so do media outlets on the web. Online interviews let people know who you are and what you do. They can also give you a link. Podcast interviews will give you a similar outcome, but using a different format. They’ve taken off with platforms devoted to podcast hosts and their audiences. Find one in your niche and get on their calendar to be their next podcast guest.

Host a giveaway

Who doesn’t enjoy some recognition or free gifts? Hosting a contest or giveaway gets people involved. If they find appreciation in the reward or recognition, it’s a win. Some companies even have small scholarship opportunities that draw attention. What that means for you is visits, shares, and linkbuilding! As more people participate in the contest, the power of going viral will take over. Many businesses also make sharing their contest page part of the requirements to participate.

Host a local event

A good way to get others to take notice and share about you is to have an event. One non-profit organization did just that. They took Diaper Awareness Week as an opportunity to host a local diaper drive. It was a heartwarming event that gave others an opportunity to participate and give back. It also shed light on a nationwide issue. The organization grabbed the media’s attention and got links on local news and radio station websites. Her audience also shared links about the event on social media.

With linkbuilding, you get out of it what you put in. It all comes down to being in demand to the majority. Providing useful or entertaining content and being a resource will make people take notice. Your audience and business supporters will want to share your information and high authority websites will want to connect with you too. Create high quality, well-researched content and be genuine in your efforts to help. Those strategies will help you build links, gain authority, and rise in the search engines.